Output details

Billows

Live electronics programming for CD recording by Carol Robinson (clarinet)

This research focused on the development of a sophisticated real-time Max-based performance environment to be manipulated and controlled live by a solo performer, giving her control over audio feedback in live performance. ‘Billows’ is part of a long-term collaboration between Faia and Carol Robinson, researching the electronic augmentation of acoustic instruments to create what are effectively new instruments (cf., Miranda, R.M., and Wanderley, M.M. 2006: ‘New Digital Musical Instruments: Control and Interaction Beyond the Keyboard’, A-R Editions, Middleton, WI).

This collaboration began in 2008 with Faia and Robinson’s creation of ‘Laima’ and, at the suggestion of Steve Argüelles, producer and owner of the Plush label, ‘Billows’ was developed as a CD-length extension of an interactive feedback section in ‘Laima’, extended so that different instruments could be used (basset horn, birbyna, clarinet) and the feedback better controlled to avoid audio or speaker distortion. The reactivity of the ‘Laima’ patch was enhanced by a thorough reworking of the relationship between adjustable delay loops and the slow crossfading between input and output buffers. Systemic distortion (explosion) was avoided by passing everything through an automatic compressor/limiter.

The patch allows performer interaction: delay length, crossfade times, maximum and minimum internal and output volumes can be changed to control the overall effect within any given environment (studio, concert, workshop). The result is a feedback system that is sensitive not only to the performer’s mechanical input but also to the type of instrument, the exact placement of microphones on the instrument and the placement of the loudspeakers, as well as air temperature and the acoustic properties of the space. The recording on the CD captures live playing and feedback, rather than using the patch to add feedback to pre-recorded audio.

This research has continued into further projects, including ‘TITI’ (2008), ‘Ratatatat’ (2009) and ‘Fond de l’air’ (2012-13).